The Joe Sally Trilogy
by Krazee Kaz
Summary: Joe and Sally finally get together, but what does the future hold for them?
1. Black Hole

**LONDON'S BURNING**   
The Joe Sally Trilogy   
Part 1 - Black Hole

Why did love have to be so complicated? He found a girl, and knew she was the one, yet they could not be together. There was a time and a place for sexual conduct, and a professional disciplined service was not it. Geoff Pearce tumbled out the rule book, quickly skating over the parts where the word "sex" was mentioned. 

He could not give up on her. He decided he would do what ever it took to allow them to be together. If that meant leaving Blue Watch, or even the Brigade, then so be it. They had been down this road before, but now he realised that Sally meant more to him than anything in the world. 

"Joe?" 

He realised he was daydreaming as he sat in the back of the pump, checking his BA set. He looked round to see Recall stood at the door, grinning. 

"Were you talking to yourself there?!" 

Joe looked puzzled, unaware he had said anything out loud. "Um… no!" 

George joined them as he climbed into the drivers seat, looking miserable as usual. "You look like that cat with the cream!" he commented to Joe. 

"Yeah, well I think I'm about to change my life, mate," Joe grinned and got out of the cab. 

George sighed. "Whatever he's on, I'll have some!" 

"Have you still not sorted things out with Kelly?" Recall asked as he climbed into the cab. 

"Nah," George replied, glumly. 

Recall shrugged. "Well, there's room at my place for as long as you like." 

"Yeah, thanks, mate."   


As luck would have it, Blue Watch were just tucking into a nice beef stew lunch when the bells went down. Maggie offered to keep it warm, but knew she was probably better off binning it. A fire had broken out in a tyre factory. 

"That's typical that is!" Sicknote put in his characteristic moan as Blue Watch scrambled into the appliances. 

They pulled out of Blackwall and sped towards the blazing factory over on Charlton's ground. Things were all ready spiralling out of control as a burning rubber vapour crept through the air. 

Gallons of water would be needed to keep the flames at bay. It was a good working job, at least several hours of hard graft lay ahead. The factory building was a tall, corrugated metal structure. As it was windowless, flames tried to break out through the walls and roof. 

Angry orange and yellow flames began to shoot high into the sky, discarding red embers on to the ground below. A TV news crew had also turned up to witness the events. DO Chapman was in charge of the incident and he immediately put the Blackwall crews into action. Employees of the factory were stood around in the car park, well away from the danger. One of them, however, had been reported missing. 

"The whole building has been searched, sir," Shadbrook's officer in charge, Carmen Miller, was reporting. 

She had been on the scene for sometime with her crew, trying to control the blaze. 

"Is there anywhere you may have missed?" John Coleman tried asking, as he stood with her and Chapman. 

"Well, the factory owner reckons there's a basement, but it hasn't been used for years," Carmen explained. 

"Get a crew to check it out, John," Chapman ordered immediately. 

"Do you reckon this is live?" Joe had noticed the news crew. 

"Probably," Sally replied. 

They were stood next to Blackwall's pump, awaiting further instructions. 

Joe grinned. "Perhaps I could find an excuse to walk over that way!" 

The TV crew had been advised to keep well back from the danger area, and stood behind the police cordon along with the factory's employees. They didn't seem to mind as their hi-tech camera equipment allowed them to get some good close up shots of the fire. 

"They'd probably cut that bit out!" Sally told him. "If they are only recording it for later." 

"But the news is on now," Joe pointed out. 

"They're not going to have this on all night, are they?" 

He grinned. "You never know!" 

John Coleman approached them after ending his discussion with Carmen and Chapman. 

"I want you two to check the basement out," he explained. "Persons reported. Get rigged, and be careful. The owner says it hasn't been used for years and we seem to have mislaid the plans for the basement!" 

"I like a good challenge!" Joe started to shrug on his BA set. 

"Yeah, I know you do!" Sally smiled as she did the same. 

Then they went over to Hi-Ho, from Shadbrook's Blue Watch, who was on BA Control and monitoring the BA crews already inside the building. 

"You guys always get the best jobs!" he moaned as he took their BA tallies. 

Joe grinned from behind the face mask. "Don't get jealous, Hi-Ho!" 

They were ready to go exploring. Joe went in first and led the way down some cold stone steps into the darkness of the basement. He switched on his torch. 

"Is this where they come for a bit of hanky panky with the secretary?!" 

Behind him, Sally rolled her eyes. "It's a bit cold," she remarked. 

"I heard some people aren't too fussy! Come on." 

They pressed on, deeper into the black hole basement, following the powerful beam of light from the torch in Joe's hand. 

"Are you laying that line?" he asked suddenly. 

Sally stopped. "No, I'm gonna let us get lost!" 

He turned to see for himself that she had laid a guideline marking their route back to the surface. 

"Sometimes I really worry about you!" he told her. 

"I'm glad someone does!" 

They continued a little further, splashing through the puddles of water created by the dripping ceiling above them. 

"Did you hear that?" Joe stopped suddenly, Sally almost bumped into him. 

"What?" she listened, but all she could hear was the drip-drip-splash of the water leaking through the roof as it soaked the fire above their heads. 

"I thought I heard something," Joe decided he must be mistaken. 

Suddenly, a loud rumble, like a massive crack of thunder, echoed above them. They looked up. 

"That's not what I heard!" Joe shone his torch over the ceiling. 

As the beam of light passed over the cracks, Sally could see them getting wider as more water gushed through. 

She pushed Joe away from the raging waterfall. He fell backwards and she landed on top of him. 

"Shall we dance?" he asked, grinning. 

They got up to inspect the damage. The waterfall was still gushing through the ceiling, bringing with it bits of wood and other debris the raging river had created, and was slowly flooding the basement. 

"Must be a water tank or something," Joe speculated on the appearance of such a large amount of water. "Let's just hope there's another way out!" he shone the torch over the bits of ceiling blocking their path. "Come up here before we drown!" he had found another set of stone steps. 

They climbed up until they reached an old, heavy wooden door. Joe tried it, but the door refused to open. He tried side-charging at it, but it still wouldn't budge. 

"Fire exit, my arse!" he kicked it, causing the old loose sign on the door to fall off its final rusty nail. 

"Well, there hasn't been anyone down here for years," Sally reminded him, as she sat down on the highest dry stone step. 

"It doesn't mean they should keep the fire exits locked!" 

"Perhaps it's sealed with age!" 

He joined her on the step as the river flowed freely below and the locked door loomed above them. 

"What now then?" he asked. 

"I don't know," she replied. 

"You don't know?" 

"Do you?" 

"Um… no," he admitted. 

"Well then." 

Joe didn't like to sit down and do nothing. He descended the steps to search for another route out. 

The river was still flowing fast as it was on a decline, and it was getting deeper. The water was already above his knees. Sally stood on the last step not submerged in the cold, dirty water. She managed to grab him before the current swept him off his feet. 

"Sometimes you can be a real idiot, Joe!" she pulled him back onto the steps. 

"Sorry," he apologised. "But we can't just sit here and do nothing!" 

"Trying to drown yourself isn't going to get us very far either, is it?" she asked. "Just stay here, they'll find us soon." 

"Is that before or after we've snuffed it?" 

"Before. How much air have we got?" she checked the gage on his BA cylinder, he checked hers. 

"You've got about twenty minutes," she reported. 

"And you've got about twelve!" 

"Trust me to pick up the half empty one!" 

"Did you pick up a radio?" he asked. 

"I thought you did." 

"I think I lost it down there," he nodded towards the river. 

"Well, that's helpful! Next time you want to go paddling, hand me the valuables!" 

"So we haven't got one?" 

"Obviously not." 

"Shut up, or you'll waste your air," he told her. 

"I know that," she argued. 

"I know that you know that, I was just saying." 

"Why don't you shut up and we'll both save our air?!" 

A period of silence passed. 

"Do you think they're on there way?" Sally asked suddenly. 

"How the bugger should I know?!" 

"It was a hypothetical question." 

"Hyper-what? You've been listening to Sicknote too much!" 

They were silent again until her air ran out. She jumped up and ripped off the suffocating BA mask, then started choking from the smoke and fumes that had accumulated in the basement. 

Joe told her to share his air. He also wanted to thank her for saving his life twice before. 

"It's all part of the job," she replied. 

"Yeah but you could have panicked and let me drown!" 

"I should have done!" 

"Nah, you wouldn't." 

She looked at him. "Nah, I wouldn't." 

They sat together for a little while longer, until his air ran out too. 

"It's cold down here," she commented as he removed his useless BA set. 

"If I said we should cuddle up to keep warm, do you think Pearce would have us transferred?!" 

She smiled and let him put his arms around her. 

"This is a great place for a date," he grinned, trying to lighten up the situation. "Trapped in a flooded basement!" 

"I thought we'd sorted that out." 

"We did. But I can't live like this, Sal. I think they've forgotten about us," he changed the subject. 

"Look on the bright side won't you?" 

"There isn't one down here!" 

After what seemed like hours, but was probably a lot less, Sally began to feel tired. Joe tried to tell her to stay awake. 

"I still want to marry you, Sal. I'm sorting everything out, so there'll be no stopping us. If that's what you want." 

He didn't get a reply. 

"Hey, come on," he tried to wake her. "We shouldn't be falling asleep on the job!" 

She couldn't be bothered responding as she rested her head against him. 

"I am that boring?" he asked. 

Soon after, he too was silent.   


The waterfall had disappeared and the river had evaporated. The cold, dark, basement slowly faded into a warmer, brighter scene. Voices were all around, people chattering and clattering about. 

"I told you I would fix it," she could hear Joe's voice, he sounded excited about something. 

She opened her eyes to see him stood next to her as she lay in the hospital bed. He was grinning. 

"Smoke inhalation," he explained. "Not good for the lungs! You know there was no one down in that basement! One of the workers decided to go home early, without telling the right people! A water tank burst and the whole place flooded after we went down, then the floor above collapsed. It took them ages to find us. Anyway," he changed the subject. "I've got a surprise for you!" 

"What's that?" she asked sleepily. 

He waved a piece of paper at her. "Form Ten," he explained. "I spoke to Coleman about a transfer this morning." 

"You would leave Blackwall, for me?" she asked. 

"Yeah, whatever it takes," he held her hand. "I want us to be together." 

She squeezed his hand gently, then smiled and closed her eyes again.   


  


_London's Burning – The Joe Sally Trilogy ~ Part 1: Black Hole © Karen Moody 27/02/200_2 


	2. Angel

**LONDON'S BURNING**   
The Joe Sally Trilogy   
Part 2 - Angel

He had given up everything for the girl he loved. He had been posted to the most boring fire station in London, but he was happy to start again with a new group of people. The posting was probably his punishment for trying to defy a set of rules, stupid as he thought they were. He couldn't help falling in love. She had finally provided an answer to his proposal, so there was nothing stopping them now. 

"I really hope this bubble you're living in will pop soon!" Angel commented as she joined him in the mess. 

He realised he'd been daydreaming again. He couldn't help it, he had a lot to daydream about these days. 

He grinned. "I hope it never does!" 

"Well I do, cos then you might stop looking so spaced out!" she told him. "Make sure you don't put sugar in that instead of salt!" she watched him prepare lunch in the kitchen area. 

He jokingly picked up the sugar bowl and moved it towards the tall silver stew pot. 

"So, what's this wedding gonna be like?" she asked casually, changing the subject. 

"Dunno, something quiet I hope! I'm leaving all that stuff to Sal!" 

"Is that cos you want everything to be right for her, or because you can't be bothered?!" 

He grinned again. "A bit of both!" 

"Figures," she muttered. "What's for lunch anyway? I'm starvin'!" 

"I'll show you later," he tried to block her view of the pan on the stove. 

"Oh yeah?" she ventured into the kitchen. "Is that an offer?!" 

"Not from me, I'm practically a married man!" 

She smiled. "There's still hope then."   


"What do you mean, they want to close Blackwall?!" Sicknote demanded as Recall passed on some gossip he had picked up. 

"Are you sure?" George asked. 

"I've seen the plans," Recall explained. "They're going to build a new station!" 

"Well, it's an outrage!" Sicknote wasn't happy. "This building is a landmark…" 

"Quite right," Pearce joined in. 

Sicknote glared at him, annoyed that Pearce had cut him off in mid flow! Blue Watch were busy cleaning the appliances in the back yard. 

"And what would you know about it?" Sicknote demanded. 

"Quite a bit actually," Pearce replied. 

"Only because you've stolen all the history books from the library!" 

"I did not steal them!" Pearce argued. "It's not my fault if other people are interested in local history! The library isn't just for you, you know!" 

"It wasn't long ago they were all ready to celebrate the Centenary of this place," Sicknote surveyed the old fire station building. 

For over one hundred years it had stood here, providing a shelter for firefighters and serving the local community. 

"A new station would bring us up to date," Dan put in his words of wisdom. "Times are changing, Sicknote, we shouldn't be living in the past." 

Sicknote seethed at the thought of a high-tech station. He wasn't one for fancy architectural buildings. Blackwall had character. 

"You know, I think I might put in for a transfer here," Hi-Ho was saying as he turned the hose on to soak the pump. 

"What?" Sally hadn't been listening to him. 

Recall grinned, as she looked lost in thought. "Are you missing Joe already?" 

"No… well, yeah," she admitted. "We don't see much of each other when we're on duty." 

"Where is Little Hilton anyway?" Hyper asked. 

Recall shrugged. "Somewhere in the leafy countryside. I expect Joe is having the time of his life!"   


Little Hilton's Blue Watch had been dealing with a fire on a farm. Joe was amazed that a real working farm, with real animals, actually existed in London! But then he realised he was no longer, technically, in London. 

"Is it always this exciting?" he asked sarcastically as he helped Angel deal with the fire in a barn. 

"If you're lucky, you might get to rescue a cat from a tree. We have plenty of those around here," she replied. 

"What, cats or trees?" 

"Both," she handed him a rake. 

"What's this for?" 

"You have to rake through to check the fire's out." 

Joe looked uncertainly at the heap of manure inside the barn, where the fire had been. 

"You are joking?!" 

"No," she grinned. "I thought all you City boys were used to shovelin' muck!" 

He didn't look too content with the task he had been assigned, but decided to get it over with as Angel continued to dampen down the, clean, haystacks. 

"So, how long have you been playing Farmers In The Den?" he asked, trying not to breathe in too much of the foul smelling air. 

"I grew up on a farm." 

"Oh. How come you joined the Brigade then?" 

"Farming's a mugs game." 

"Yeah, tell me about it! Should we be wearing BA in here?!" 

She just laughed at him.   


Since he had been transferred, Joe spent less time in the flat he now shared with Sally. He reckoned it made more sense for him to stay with one of the lads from his station during his tour of duty. She had agreed that was logical, considering the long drive he had back to Blackwall, but it didn't mean to say she had to like it. He reckoned he was going to look for a posting closer to home. Either that of they moved to somewhere in the middle. He was staying with some woman, Sally wondered if she should be jealous. 

"Earth calling Firefighter Fields?!" 

She looked round to see Hyper calling her. 

"Fires don't put themselves out, Sal," he reminded her. 

She looked back to the pump and realised she hadn't turned on the water, which was what she was supposed to be doing before the insecurities about Joe's living arrangements crept into her head. Technically, he was living with another woman… 

"Water on!" she yelled, turning on the pump tap. 

"About time!" Recall yelled back as he and George tackled the small skip fire. 

"What is up with you?" Hyper asked, concerned, as she had been looking preoccupied about something for a while now. 

"It's Joe," she confessed. "He's staying with someone from his Watch while he's on duty." 

"Makes sense." 

"Yeah, I suppose." 

"You don't seem to happy about it," he observed. 

"It's a woman." 

"Oh. Well, I'm sure he's not getting up to anything, he wouldn't dare!" 

She managed a slight smiled, but still wasn't convinced. 

"I'm sure you've got nothing to worry about," Hyper continued, trying to reassure her. 

"Yeah, maybe you're right," she sighed, not knowing what to think.   


"They couldn't afford to put on a small celebration, yet they can afford to build a new station!" Sicknote was still outraged at the Brigade's plans. "Something should be done!" 

"Like what?" asked. "The Powers That Be have spoken, there isn't a lot you can do about it." 

"We," Sicknote corrected him. 

Dan pretended to go back to his newspaper, desperate not to get involved in Sicknote's hare-brained scheme to overthrow Top Brass decisions. The pump crew returned from their shout to find the others on stand easy in the mess. Only Pearce agreed with Sicknote that they should do something about the proposal to close the station. 

"You lot don't have a clue about preserving our heritage!" Sicknote stormed out of the mess. 

"Should we go after him?" Sally wondered. 

"What for?" Hi-Ho asked. "It's only a building!" 

"It's more than that to Sicknote!" Recall pointed out. 

"The Brigade will do what they want," George commented. "Like they always have!"   


"I still smell!" Joe was complaining as the Little Hilton crew stood down that evening. 

Angel just grinned. "You'll get used to it!" 

"I don't want to get used to it!" 

"Have a bath," she suggested as they left the station together. 

"I've already had two showers!" 

She smiled and shook her head. 

"Have you got any strong soap?" he asked. 

"What?" 

"I smell like a …" 

"Pig in shit?" 

"Farmyard. Come on, I need something!" 

"Yeah, a guide to the countryside! Just get in the car, Joe!"   


"If you're that worried, why don't you go over there?" Hyper suggested as he and Sally left the station that evening. 

"But that would look like I don't trust him." 

"Do you?" 

"Course I do!" 

"Well then, stop worrying about it! Come and have a drink," he offered. 

"I could surprise him, I suppose…" she contemplated the idea. 

"Lift?" Hyper offered, retrieving the spare motorcycle helmet from the store under the seat of his bike. 

She took it, gratefully. "Thanks, Rob."   


"How is it?" Angel called through the bathroom door. 

"Um… I think the question should be what is it?!" Joe replied, as he took the bottle of soap Angel had given him before he went for his bath. 

"Industrial soap!" she replied. 

"What does it do?" 

"It makes you grow a beard and four heads!" 

"You what?!" 

"It'll stop you smelling like pig slurry! Trust me!" 

In the bath, he squirted a bit of pink soap from the bottle on to his hand. It didn't smell much better than he already did, but it was decidedly better than smelling like a muck spreader. 

Angel left him in peace as she headed for her bedroom.   


"It's around here somewhere," Sally told Hyper as they pulled up in a country lane. 

"I'd suggest asking someone," Hyper scanned the deserted lane. "If there was anyone around!" 

"I think it's just down there," Sally pointed to another lane leading off behind some trees. 

They followed the quiet pathway, the only noise came from the powerful engine on the bike. Soon, they came to a small cottage set on a hillside, surrounded by trees and green fields. Hyper stayed with the now silent bike as Sally went to knock on the door. 

"Just a sec…" a woman's voice called from inside. 

Sally glanced back at Hyper, unsure if she wanted to find out what lay beyond the old fashioned heavy wooden front door. 

"Hi," a young woman wearing a blue bathrobe opened the door. "Oh…" she paused. "You must be Sally." 

Sally was about to reply as Joe also appeared at the door, a bath towel wrapped around his waist. 

"Sally!" he was surprised to see her. "I didn't know you were coming." 

"So I see. Do I need to book an appointment?!" 

"I was in the bath," he tried to explain. 

"Really?" she didn't know if she should believe him or not. "I think I've had a wasted trip, you're obviously busy!" she turned to leave. 

Joe had to chase her down the garden path. 

"Sal?" he stopped her. "What's going on?" 

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" 

"What?" 

"You and her," Sally nodded back towards Angel, who stood at the door. 

"I was in the bath," he repeated. 

"On your own, or did she scrub your back?!" 

"What? No! Sal, wait…" he stopped her as she tried to leave again. "Why did you come here?" 

"To see what was going on, I'm glad I did now! Here," she removed the engagement ring from her finger. "You'd better have this back." 

"I don't want it," he refused to take it. 

She dropped it on the path and went over to Hyper, who started up the bike again. 

"I was in the bath," he repeated again, for all the good it did him. "She was getting dressed…" 

"Oh right, I get it now." 

"No, I meant… Rob, you believe me, don't you?" he pleaded. 

"I'm staying out of this!" Hyper decided to remain impartial. 

Joe sighed as Sally got on to the back of the bike. 

"I'm not having an affair! You have to believe me!" 

"Bye Joe." 

He watched them ride off down the hill on their way back to London.   


_London's Burning – The Joe Sally Trilogy ~ Part 2: Angel © Karen Moody 27/03/2002_


	3. Another Chance

**LONDON'S BURNING**   
The Joe Sally Trilogy   
Part 3 – Another Chance

"Can I help you?" Recall found a pretty young woman looking a little lost in the appliance bay at Blackwall. 

"Um, yeah," she smiled. "Firefighter Harris reporting for duty." 

"Oh yeah, we've been expecting you," he took her into the Watch Room to book in. "So, where've you come from then?" 

"Little Hilton." 

"Where?!" 

"Out Essex way," she explained. 

"Oh, right, yeah," he still had no clue as to where the place was. 

She smiled. 

"I'm Recall," he decided to introduce himself. 

"Angel." 

"Essex is a bit of a trek isn't it?" 

"Tell me about it!" 

He grinned. "Come on, and I'll introduce you to some other the others. They're on stand easy at the moment and the pump's gone out," he explained as they headed out of the Watch Room and towards the mess.   
  


"What are you doing here?" Hyper managed to pull Angel away from the others as the introductions ended. 

"I'm on stand by," she replied. 

"I mean, why you? Why here?" 

"Cos I was told to." 

"And what about Sally?" Hyper asked. "She's out with the pump crew, but she'll be back…" 

"There is nothing going on between me and Joe!" Angel tried to make it clear. "But if you and Sally want to believe different, then that really isn't my problem!" 

"They've been through a lot." 

"And if she can't trust him then there's no basis for a relationship is there? He was having a bath after sampling the delights of country life! On his own!" 

Angel tried to explain the fact that Sally had recently caught Joe wandering around Angel's country cottage wearing nothing but a bath towel. 

"For what it's worth," Hyper started. "I believe you, but you have to convince Sally." 

"Why should I?" Angel asked. 

"Because she's my best friend and I don't want to see her relationship fall apart. If you're Joe's friend, you would feel the same. Unless, of course, there is something going on…" 

"I'm not going through this again," Angel tried to walk away from him. "I've told you what happened." 

Hyper grabbed her arm. "Then tell Sally." 

She shook her arm free and walked off.   
  


Sally wasn't happy when she returned to Blackwall with the pump crew after being called out to rescue a builder from a roof after his scaffolding collapsed. Angel seemed to have invaded her life. It wasn't enough that she'd got her claws into Joe, now she had to stir things even further by turning up at Blackwall. 

Hyper met Sally in the appliance bay to warn her of Angel's presence. He was desperate for them not to start arguing as Pearce was on the prowl, looking for Brownie points in his race to be the Watch Commander if rank restructuring plans went ahead. 

"I've got nothing to say to her," Sally told him. 

"But you should at least talk to her," Hyper tried to insist. "This is stupid." 

"And it's none of your business!" she stormed off. 

"What's going on there?" Recall had overheard the conversation. 

Hyper shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine."   


In the mess, Sicknote had given up trying to rally some support for the closure of Blackwall. No one else was interested and even Pearce had suddenly changed his mind. Sicknote suspected that someone mentioning the words "Watch Commander" and "in charge of Blue Watch" to him had something to do with his change of heart. 

He sighed, audibly, and buried his head in yet another history magazine. Maybe they would do something useful with the redundant station building. Perhaps they could make it into a museum or something… Depicting firefighting throughout the ages… 

His wife, Jean, had recently pointed out that he was part of the furniture! If they wanted to close Blackwall then they would take him with it. He decided it was probably time to let go. He had been coming to work in this building for so many years, it was his second home. He would be sad to see it go.   
  


Angel found Sally in the locker room. She approached carefully, with every intention of explaining the situation with Joe again. She hoped, this time, maybe Sally would believe her. 

"You've got to sort this out," Angel started. "He's been like a bear with a sore head since you left!" 

"You mean, he dumped you?" 

"No! Look," Angel paused for a moment, to think about what she was going to say. "I'm not looking for any sort of relationship at the moment." 

"Really?" Sally refused to believe her. 

"Yeah. My boyfriend was killed two months ago… car crash." 

"Oh…" Sally faltered. "Sorry." 

"So, the last thing I want," Angel continued. "Is to get into another relationship with a guy, especially one who has a shopping trolley full of emotional baggage! You don't have to believe me, but here," Angel reached into her pocket and produced a front door key, which she then gave to Sally." Take this." 

"What's it for?" 

"It's the key to my cottage," Angel explained. "You and Joe need to talk. I'm staying in the City for a while. I think you both need some time away from everything." 

Angel left Sally staring at the small key in the palm of her hand. She wanted to believe Angel was telling the truth. It wasn't exactly something you make up. She wanted to trust Joe, but it was so hard when they didn't see each other for days on end. A phone call was no substitute for the real thing. 

The bells went down.   
  


A gang of kids had been messing about in a disused flourmill. They now insisted that one of their mates was trapped in the ventilation system. Blue Watch had no choice but to investigate it. 

"I can't get down there!" George moaned, looking down the end of the small ventilation shaft. 

"That's cos you're a fat bastard!" Angel grinned and took the torch he was holding. "I'll have a go," she volunteered. 

"Ok," Coleman replied. "But be careful." 

Pearce detailed George to fetch a couple of lines from the pump. 

"Guv," Sally called. "There's another entrance over here," she indicated to where she had discovered the entrance to the second shaft. 

This one was much wider and easier to get down. Angel, however, had already disappeared down the first. 

"I can have a look down here," Sally suggested, eager to get her hands dirty. "No problems." 

"Go on then," Coleman let her go. 

She took the other line and crawled into the shaft. 

"What are you doing?" 

Sally looked to her left, where the shaft, which Angel had squashed herself into, ran parallel to the one she was able to move freely in. 

"The same as you!" Sally replied. 

"I thought that kid said he came in this way," Angel argued. 

"You never know! Are we going to get on with it or sit here arguing about it?!" Sally crawled off. 

Angel muttered something under her breath, then followed Sally in what seemed to have become a rat race. Suddenly, Angel spotted something up ahead. 

"I think I've found him," she called as she approached the unconscious ten-year-old boy. 

There was no reply from Sally. 

"Sally?" Angel called. 

She waited, but there was still no reply. 

"Sal, you ok?" 

"No, I'm bloody stuck!" came the agitated reply. 

Angel had to fight to keep the smirk off her face as she got herself into a position to drag the boy to safety at the other end of the shaft where the rest of the Watch were waiting. 

"What's going on?" Angel asked as she approached the air vent. 

In the opposite shaft, she could see Sally kicking furiously at something. 

"My boot's stuck!" 

"I'll be there in a minute," Angel promised. "Don't go anywhere will you?!" she grinned. 

"Oh, 'aye yeah, funny!" 

Angel disappeared again, carefully dragging the young boy through the shaft. It wasn't long before she reached daylight again and handed the boy over to the waiting paramedics. 

"Good work," Coleman told her. 

"Will he be ok?" Angel asked. 

"He's in a diabetic coma," one of the paramedics explained. "It's touch and go." 

"Where's Sally?" Hyper was asking as he kept watch on the shaft she had disappeared down. 

Angel joined him. The shaft was empty. 

"She must still be stuck," Angel commented. 

"Stuck?" Hyper echoed. 

"Yeah," Angel dragged the rope line around her waist once more. "I'll go and have a look." 

"Guv," Hyper called Coleman over and explained the situation as Angel disappeared into the shaft. 

She crawled along the route Sally had taken earlier. 

"Sally?" 

"What now?" 

Angel reached her. Sally was now messing with the rope that had been attached to her. 

"What are you messing around with now?" Angel enquired. 

"Bloody line's snagged." 

"You're not having a very good day are you?" 

"Not since you turned up." 

"There's no need to get bitchy!" Angel told her. "Let me help." 

"Bugger it," Sally detached herself from the rope. 

Angel stared at her. "You can't do that…" 

"Let's just get out of here, shift your arse." 

Angel shrugged and started to make her was back along the shaft. Sally followed. The old metal structure started creaking under the weight of the two firefighters. 

Suddenly, there was a loud crashing noise behind them. Angel whirled round in time to see half of the vent shaft behind her collapsing. 

"Sal.." Angel made a quick grab for her. "Friggin' 'ell…" 

They were left dangling at least twenty feet in the air. 

"You've done it now." 

"Just help me up Angel." 

Angel tried to hold on to Sally's arm to prevent her from falling. 

"I can't…" she was struggling to take the weight as she lay in what was left of the creaking vent shaft, which was slowly moving downwards. 

"Angel, Sally…" Coleman was calling down the shaft. "What's going on?" 

Sally looked up at Angel, fear shone in her eyes. 

"Don't let go, Angel." 

"Guv!" Angel yelled back through the pain of trying to hold on to Sally. "Floor… below… go… now… Oh shit…"   
  


It had been a complete misunderstanding, Angel wondered if Sally had believed that at all. Maybe she had just been jealous. Angel didn't blame her. Perhaps she would have felt the same if she had caught her boyfriend walking around Sally's house naked! 

"What were they thinking of, leaving him in there like that?" George was saying, trying to make conversation. "I mean, if he was sick an' all…" 

"Yeah," Recall joined in glumly. "Some mates they are." 

Angel was sat alone, deep in thought. Hyper joined her. 

"Angel?" 

"It's my fault," she told him. 

"Why?" he enquired carefully. 

"I let go…" 

They were interrupted as Joe and Coleman joined them in the waiting area. 

"Joe, what's going on?" Hyper went over to him. 

Joe seemed ready to tell them until he saw Angel. She caught his eye and turned away. She ran off down the corridor. 

"Angel, wait…" Joe went after her. 

Coleman turned to the rest of the Watch. 

Down the corridor, Angel stopped and turned to face Joe. She was unable to find any words to say to him. He put a comforting hand on her shoulder. 

"It's not your fault," he tried to reassure her. 

"You weren't there," she reminded him. 

"No, but it could have been any one of us," he pointed out. "She wants to see you." 

"What? She's not…?" 

"No! And I think I managed to explain things." 

Angel managed a smile of relief. "Do we forget about that snog then?" 

He grinned.   


_London's Burning – The Joe Sally Trilogy ~ Part 3: Another Chance © Karen Moody 29/03/2002_


End file.
